ITMWG 92

Chapter 92…

What is this little light?

Altair looked over at Nadia, who had been watching over him with concern, as she fell fast asleep on the sofa.

‘My stamina is better than you think. I’ll stay by your side until you fall asleep today!’

When she said that to him like tending to a child, he didn’t believe her.

“Yet you fell asleep first.”

Altair let out a snicker.

It wasn’t a fake smile to show that he was fine, but a genuine laugh because of how pleasant the situation was.

“Well, I guess it’s understadable since she has used up a lot of energy.”

Unlike Altair, who was more confident than anyone else in his physical strength, his wife didn’t have good phisique.

But she always worked with all her might. She never gave up or complained either.

Altair found it truly amazing that such a small and weak person had such a strong will.

Altair made no sound so that he wouldn’t wake Nadia and approached her.

He planned to move her to the bed because she would feel tired the next day if she kept sleeping here.

However, looking at her sleeping figure, he couldn’t bring himself to touch her.

Small face, small hands, delicate arms and legs.

His wife’s body was so fragile hat he felt like it would break if he touched her with his rough hands.

Yet, even with that thought, he still tormented his wife every night because he couldn’t control his desire. He truly had no excuse for that…

Altair felt embarrassed because his thoughts kept diverting, so he cleared his throat and swept Nadia in his arms.

Altair looked at the light with an indescribable feeling.

If he said what he heard today wasn’t shocking, it would be a lie.

But he took it better than he had thought.

When he was young, he felt like the sky was falling when he heard of the death of his parents.

No one mourned their deaths, and all he could hear was the sound of them fighting over their leftover fortune.

He felt like he was alone in the darkness, with invisible hands pulling him back.

T/n: Throw back to this pick in ch.11 , but from Altair’s POV.

But now…

There was someone willing to bring light to him, and thanks to that, his surroundings were bright.

Of course, he had grown to the point where he could find his way in the dark without light, but that didn’t mean that life in the dark was comfortable.

What’s this little light?

“Hmm…”

Altair flinched and came to his senses at Nadia’s burrowing into his arms, whining as if she was uncomfortable.

He hurriedly laid Nadia down on the bed as if he had been caught doing something shady, and covered her with the blanket. Before he knew it, his face had turned red all the way to his ears.

Why did he react so sensitively to such small things when it came to his wife?

He was someone who dealt with everything indifferently.

His complicated and confused thoughts eventually came together.

It’s because I gave my heart to this person.

But did giving your heart to someone make people so swayed? Even over such trivial things? Was everyone like that?

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out the answer.

I would have known if I had had feelings for someone before.

He had no idea if this was normal or if he was acting strange.

No, it doesn’t matter.

When he thought about it that way, nothing else seemed to matter.

Altair laid down next to Nadia, who was sleeping soundly.

As he gazed at Nadia’s face, who was sleeping comfortably, his body relaxed and his eyes slowly closed, as if her peace had dawned on him as well.

He felt so at ease that he could hardly believe it.

Slowly, his thoughts faded.

(Gasp)!

Nadia flashed her eyes wide open in shock.

I was definitely trying to put Altair to sleep…

She had no memory of what happened after she looked at Altair against the flickering light.

I, I fell asleep first?!

She jumped up in panic and looked around, but the room was completely silent and empty.

She blinked blankly, not knowing what had happened, when the door opened and Marie and Anna came in.

“We’ve prepared everything. Would you like to wash up first then get ready?”

She was taken aback by Anna and Marie’s words.

“Get ready?”

“The Lord said he was going out with you today, so he asked us to help you prepare. Didn’t you hear of it?”

Of course she didn’t hear it. She fell asleep, so there was no way she could have.

However, if Altair had planned an outing, there was only one reason.

We’re going to investigate the case!

Instead of going out alone, he ordered preparation for her to go out with him… This time, it must mean that he would not leave her out.

Somehow, Nadia felt proud that Altair had acknowledged her.

“Let’s get ready. I’ll wash up first.”

“Yes, Madame.”

With the skillful help of Marie and Anna, Nadia quickly got out of her sleepy state.

Satisfied with her appearance being clean, the two started to dress her up.

Now that I think about it…

She seemed to be wearing more makeup and clothes than usual.

Somehow, it doesn’t look like me.

She usually preferred simple clothes and makeup, it felt awkward to dress up out of the ordinary.

She dressed up extravagantly when she went to the palace ball, but at that time, it felt more natural because it was a ball.

Marie smiled and put a blue ribbon on her head, not noticing that Nadia was feeling awkward. It was a ribbon with a jewel in the middle.

“Would you like to wear this ribbon today? It’s your first date in the capital after all, so you should dress up nicely.”

“Da-Date?”

“Yes. Come to think of it, you two have never been on a proper date. The Lord and the Madame are both busy…”

As Marie sighed in regret, Anna clenched her fists beside her.

“But you’re going on a date today! Just trust us!”

But Nadia felt that they had come too far to stop them.

She could change her clothes quickly, but it was hard to fix her makeup and hair.

But if he looks at this, doesn’t Altair think I’m an untrustworthy wife?

If he ordered her to get ready to go out to investigate the truth together and she showed up dressed up like this, it’s inevitable that she’ll look like that.

This won’t work. Even if it takes some time, we have to do it all over again.

The moment she made that decision and was about to ask Marie and Anna.

“Nadia.”

Altair’s voice was heard from beyond the door between the rooms.

“I think we should go out soon. Are you ready?”

“Ah, that-, not ye-…”

She was flustered and about to answer, but Anna got excited and raised her voice ahead of her.

“She’ll be done in no time. We just need to finish adorning her hair with a ribbon, my lord!”

Huh!?

Nadia felt Altair’s eyes looking at her widen a little more than usual.

As-, as I thought, this wasn’t it!

“I’ll do it again!”

Nadia jumped up from her seat in panic and greeted Altair.

In Nadia’s haste to get up, she hit Marie’s hand, who was trying to tie the ribbon, with her head, causing the hair accessory the maid was holding to fall to the floor.

Marie, flustered and unresponsive, tried to pick up the fallen ribbon, but Altair raised his hand and stopped her.

“Leave it and go.”

“Yes? But…”

“It’s fine.”

Marie, who had been hesitating, couldn’t overcome Altair’s firm attitude and cautiously stepped down. Anna also noticed the slight tension and quickly followed her.

After watching the two leave, Altair walked briskly and picked up the ribbon adornment that had fallen on the floor.

Altair’s gaze, which had been staring at the ribbon, soon reached Nadia’s face, and she waved her hands frantically, attempting to prove herself innocent.

“What did they misunderstand?”

“So… they thought Altair had asked me out on a date…”

“What…That’s not wrong though?”

“Pardon…?”

Her eyes widened in surprise, and Altair put the hair garment on her instead of explaining further.

Since he had never done this before, his hand movements were quite sloppy, and in the end, her hair fell down unsightly under the weight of the ribbon decoration.

When she looked in the mirror, it was a total mess.

“Altair…”

When Nadia looked at Altair displeased, he coughed and quietly avoided her gaze.

“Isn’t it fine to just put it on?”

“You have to get it in the right position.”

Nadia grumbled and took off the hair accessory and put it back properly.

It wasn’t as perfect as Marie could have made it, but it was somehow fixed to a presentable appearance.

“…Altair?”

“Pretty.”

“…Yes?”

“Huh?”

Surprised by the sudden remark, Nadia asked back, and in response to her was just another question.

He didn’t seem to be playing dumb, as he truly sounded dumbstruck.

He didn’t even seem to know he had said that subconsciously.

That…

That felt even more sincere, which made her face flushed.

Nadia quickly changed the subject before her face burst with embarrassment.

“I thought you were going out to investigate because of what you heard yesterday.”

“Oh. That’s not wrong either.”

So they were going on a date, and to investigate?

“I had another conversation with Blan last night. He’d been gathering information until dawn, and as a result, he found a place where we can meet someone who seems to be a broker for the ‘High-up’.”

“A broker?”

“Yes. That ‘High-ranked’ guy is so confident that he’s openly doing business in the middle of the capital. Of course, it appeared like a fancy gallery on the outside… It seems that he designs insurance fraud for those who come looking for him in secret.”

“So, that’s why we’re going there now?”

“Yes. We’ll pretend to be a noble couple who happened to visit the gallery, but the other person probably knows us, so we can see their reaction and get something out of it.”

Altair held out his hand to her with a sharp look in his eyes.

“Alright, let us depart.”

❈❈❈

They rode in a carriage to the centre of the capital.

As Altair said, the gallery in question was located in a busy area, living true to its position as one in the centre of the capital.

Since all the famous stores in the capital were on this street, it wasn’t that surprising, but Nadia felt strange as she walked alongside Altair.

It was a familiar place.

It was the gallery where she intended to spend a lot of money to spread rumours about Baron Aylesford.

I was going to the gallery back then, but I couldn’t because Prince Orca led me to the flower garden.

As Nadia was reminded of that, an even more strange feeling took hold of her as she stepped into the gallery.

Why do I feel this way?

The moment she frowned in confusion, the art dealer who owned the gallery appeared in front of them with a bright smile.

“You are the famous Baron and Baroness of Aylesford! It is an honour that you two visited our gallery! I am the art dealer who runs this gallery, Dwinhofer.”

Dwinhofer!

It was an all too familiar name.

She had never met him as ‘Nadia’, but she had heard the name several times through the novel.

Because Dwinhofer was…

Doesn’t he belong to one of the brigades that helps Prince Orca in the secret…?